Bachelor of Science in Nursing program receives national accreditation

Posted by Jayme Blaschke University News Service June 13, 2012

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education’s (CCNE) Board of Commissioners has granted accreditation to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Texas State University-San Marcos for five years, extending to June 30, 2017.

The accreditation action for the St. David’s School of Nursing at Texas State is effective as of November 7, 2011. This achievement recognizes the BSN program to be one of excellence and high principles.

“We are very pleased with the CCNE national accreditation for our nursing program,” said Texas State President Denise M. Trauth. “This is yet another validation of the years of hard work by many people to establish a much-needed program at Texas State to educate nurses and help fill a critical workforce need in the state.”

In 2003, Texas State was contacted by central Texas community leaders, healthcare executives and elected officials to discuss the nursing shortage and to make a commitment to support and seek funding for a nursing program at Texas State, said Ruth B. Welborn, dean of the College of Health Professions. Through the efforts of the Texas State University System, Texas State’s administration, state legislators and healthcare donors--including a $6 million gift from the St. David’s Foundation--Texas State established an ambitious plan to respond to the shortage of registered nurses in Texas to develop a school of nursing with undergraduate and graduate nursing education degree programs.

St. David’s School of Nursing at Texas State admitted the first class of BSN students in fall 2010 and graduated the first class of nursing students in May 2012. The BSN program is designed to accommodate the latest teaching technologies and learning strategies to provide students with knowledge and skills needed for professional nursing practice for the 21st century.

Despite the graduation of the first class of nurses from the BSN program at Texas State, the nursing shortage continues in Texas. The Texas Department of State Health Services Center for Health Statistics and the Statewide Coordinating Council Center for Nursing Workforce Studies estimates that between 2005-2020 the demand for RNs in Texas will rise by 86 percent and the supply will grow only by 53 percent. The Coordinating Council reported that Texas has a current RN workforce shortage of 71,000.

For additional information, contact the St. David’s School of Nursing at Texas State at (512) 716-2900.